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The New Orleans Pelicans (36-37) face off with the Los Angeles Clippers (39-35) Saturday night in a matchup with big playoff implications. The Pelicans currently sit in the No. 9 spot in the West but are just two games out of the No. 6 seed. The Clippers are at No. 5 and sit a half-game ahead of the Warriors.
Trey Murphy is questionable for the Pelicans. On the long-term injury front, Zion Williamson remains sidelined. The Clippers are intact on the day-to-day side, but Norman Powell and Paul George remain out indefinitely.
The Clippers are 5-point favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The total comes in at 224. Los Angeles is -200 on the moneyline while New Orleans is +170.
Pelicans vs. Clippers, 10:30 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Clippers -5
The Clippers aren’t exactly juggernauts at home, sporting a 17-20 ATS mark at Crypto.com Arena. However, the Pelicans are not great in this spot. They are 7-16-1 ATS as a road underdog this season. New Orleans is on a nice winning streak but beating the bottom of the league convincingly doesn’t suddenly mean a win over a playoff contender. Look for the Clippers, who have covered in two of their last three games, to get the job done here.
Over/Under: Under 224
The Pelicans have gone under their totals in four straight games, while the Clippers have hit the under in three of their last four and five of their last seven. These teams rank 19th and 14th, respectively, in points per game over the last five contests. They are also second and fifth, respectively, in points allowed per game in that same span. Look for a defensive battle to take place in LA Saturday evening, and the under to hit on this line.